Buoyant Easter hot cross bun sales have helped Greggs, the bakery chain, record a 2 per cent increase in overall like-for-like trading in the 19 weeks to May 9.

Greggs, which sells sausage rolls, sandwiches and cakes from about 1,400 UK stores, said trading had picked up since its previous update in March, in which sales rose 1 per cent as customer numbers begin to stabilise after a tough few months.